A Blog Post

What You Should Know About Anti-fouling Marine Deck Coatings

The dream of being a water vessel owner includes being out on the water, using it as many months of the year as the season will allow. If you are one who keeps your boat in the water for part of the year, a quality anti-fouling marine deck coating is an essential part of preventative maintenance. This marine coating allows your vessel to run at peak performance and reduces long-term costs.

What does an anti-fouling coating do?

When you use an anti-fouling coating on your marine vessel, you are actively assisting in the prevention of barnacles and mussels from attaching to the underside of the vessel. Traditional anti-fouling marine coatings contain something called biocide, which help to repel fouling organisms that live in the water. Biocide involves the dissipation of metal and copper, as an effective strategy to prevent shells, plant and algae growth. There are also non-metallic marine coatings that can be used in areas that restrict the copper biocides. These are environmentally friendly paints that are just as effective.

How does it benefit in the long run?

Cleaner Hull

A cleaner hull improves hull dynamics. As your anti-fouling coating prevents growth build up on the underside of your vessel, it also increases speed, maneuverability and overall efficiency. The cleanliness of a fouled bottom is a testament to quality of attention and treatment that is given to the vessel.

Saving Money

For both freshwater and saltwater vessels without an anti-fouling coating, it is really just a matter of time before the evidence of water life is present on their investment. Leading to far more maintenance and cleaning to be done compared to a vessel with an anti-fouling marine deck coating. This can result in thousands of dollars and dozens of hours spent reversing the problem, as well as greater efficiency leads to greater savings on fuel costs.

As part of the ever important preventative maintenance of a marine vessel, the unseen or the least seen part plays a very integral role in the overall performance of the boat itself. Being strategic by using an anti-fouling marine coating works wonders in preventing unwanted marine growth to the underside of the vessel. This leads to short and long-term cost benefits and a greater enjoyment of vessel ownership.